Darius Kurn
Darius Kurn is a character in The Silver Moon Rebellion, a Dungeons & Dragons game set in the world of Sorakos. Basic Overview Full Name: Darius Kurn Level: 17 Race: Human (Elemental origin) Class: Sorcerer / Warlord Paragon Path: Lightning Fury Gender: Male Age: 32 Background Background Title: Occupation: Criminal Background Bonus: Class Skill (Thievery) Biography: The former mayor of Falcon's Point in the Borderlands gained his position with subterfuge and deceit and lost it to outright force: a coup d'eat from his own brother, Andros Kurn. His brother coerced the town Soothsayer into invoking an ancient ritual, transforming him into a demonic creature whose entrancing voice subjugates the will of all around him. The entire enthralled town answered solely to Andros... including Darius's wife Rosalyn and two children. The soothsayer reminded Andros of their bargain for the ritual: the soothsayer alone must be allowed to sacrifice the town's former leader to bless the reign of the new one... The soothsayer took Darius to the ancient cairns outside the city. There, Darius interrogated him why he granted such power to his brother. The soothsayer replied, "To teach you a lesson, Darius; you were not fit to rule. You gained your position through manipulation, but a great leader knows that sometimes one must seize power for himself." The soothsayer began consecrating the ritual grounds with his storm-enchanted dagger, an artifact from a past life that amplifies the user's might far beyond his mortal capabilities. Darius heeded the soothsayer's lesson. He broke free from his bonds, took the dagger for himself and skewered the soothsayer deeply. He broke and ran, wielding the dagger that could make a magicless man into a sorcerer supreme. As the soothsayer's corpse shuddered back to life, he muttered, "Mi'lady, I hope that you have chosen wisely..." Darius traveled to the Garnician Republic to learn to harness his newfound magical abilities. However, ignorant as he was of the Republic's antipathetic attitudes towards unlicensed mages, he was accosted by the mage hunters. They brought him to Captain Keonis Li in Gateway, and she offered a simple bargain. He would be granted a mage license and the instruction of the finest instructors within the region to master his abilities, vanquish Andros and regain his city. However, to do so, he would have to make use of the illicit talents that won him the mayor's seat. He would use them to infiltrate the Silver Moon Rebellion, posing as an aspiring freedom fighter and secretly ferreting information to bring the rebellion down. Once the rebellion was quashed, the resources of the Republic would be his. When Silver Moon's field agents spotted Captain Keonis Li outside of Haven, Halikar and Hungrig intercepted a note that Darius had attempted to leave behind for Keonis. When his fellow agents confronted him, he revealed that the note had not been sent to betray Silver Moon but to send misinformation that might drive apart Keonis and her ally Prusaadi Dawntracker. Since Silver Moon discovered that Keonis intended to defect to the Zahn Empire if Haven was annexed, Darius had turned on Keonis. He assisted Silver Moon in her capture, as well as that of Prusaadi Dawntracker. Darius declared his loyalty to Silver Moon if they would help him retake Falcon's Point and assassinate his demonically-transformed brother. The field agents of Silver Moon agreed to do so in order to establish Falcon's Point as an auxiliary base in the Borderlands. The city was successfully liberated when Silver Moon's field agents slew Andros Kurn shortly after his ascension to dragonhood. Though joyfully reunited with his children Brienne Kurn and Keiran Kurn, his wife Rosalyn Kurn was kidnapped by an unknown party. Darius has vowed to make whoever took her experience exquisite agony for denying his children their mother. Further, Darius's personality has transformed as he opens himself to the dagger's power. Where once he was cowardly, now he has grown bold; where once he was peaceful, now he has grown bloodthirsty. His rage and the storm dagger's fury feed each other and amplify Darius's power far beyond his mortal limits. The force of his ferocity splintered part of the dagger's pommel and buried its embedded amethyst in his forearm's flesh. Now, when Darius summons the storm, his skin transforms to otherworldly violet; his beard becomes shock-white; his eyes become crackling orange sparks. Though his mortal appearance returns, the metamorphosis persists longer each time he summons the tempest's fury. The transformation is accelerating... but a transformation into what? Nonetheless, where once he embraced the storm's ferocious gifts, Darius now refuses to be dominated by its malign influence. Silver Moon's success in recovering his city, children, and wife have buoyed his faith in the ability of stalwart beings to overcome. When Julius Cato's Imperial forces marched upon Falcon's Point, Darius was amongst his people, calming their fears with honeyed words and bolstering their spirits with speeches of defiance. In this crisis, he again became the leader who had safely shepherded the people of Falcon's Point. Indeed, the comforting lies he told ("free men and women will overcome any challenge!") was so inspiring that even Darius himself began to believe it. He now resists drawing upon the storm's influence, turning away from the most destructive and terrifying of magics to instead inspire his allies to ever-greater acts of of heroism and greatness. Still, can even such a will as Darius's reject the storm's seductive gifts forever? Ability Scores Strength: 11 (+0) Constitution: 14 (+2) Dexterity: 20 (+5) Intelligence: 11 (+0) Wisdom: 9 (-1) Charisma: 22 (+6) Initiative: +22 Speed: 6 squares Maximum Hit Points: 106 Healing Surges Per Day: 8 Armor Class: 27 Fortitude: 26 Reflex: 30 Will: 35 Saving Throw Bonuses: Roll saving throws against Daze and Stun at start of turn, even if the effect doesn't allow a save. Resistances: Resist 10 Lightning, Resist 10 Thunder, Resist 5 Poison Skills Acrobatics: +13 Arcana: +15 Athletics: +14 Bluff: +26 Diplomacy: +25 Dungeoneering: +7 Endurance: +15 Heal: +7 History: +8 Insight: +11 Intimidate: +14 Nature: +7 Perception: +8 Religion: +13 Stealth: +21 Streetwise: +14 Thievery: +18 Unique Traits Racial Features: * Bonus Feat: Gain an extra feat at 1st level. * Bonus Skill: Gain one additional skill from your class skill list. * Human Defense Bonuses: +1 Fort, Ref, Will. * Heroic Effort: You gain the Heroic Effort power. Class/Path/Destiny Features: * Sorcerous Power (Hybrid): Add Dexterity bonus +2 to damage rolls of sorcerer powers and sorcerer paragon path powers. * Storm Soul: Gain Resist 10 Thunder and Resist 10 Lightning. Lightning and thunder arcane powers ignore 10 points of enemy thunder and lightning resistance. Once per encounter when hit, can lose your resistances to gain +4 to all defenses for one turn as an immediate interrupt. * Combat Leader (Hybrid): Add +2 to your and your allies' Initiative checks; increases to your Charisma modifier (+6) with Combat Commander feat. * Inspiring Word (Hybrid): Use Inspiring Word once per encounter; twice per encounter with Fight On feat. * Electric Action: On action point, one, two, or three enemies within 5 squares take 5 lightning damage. * Unstoppable Lightning: Your lightning attacks ignore all lightning resistance. Lightning-immune foes instead have resistance equal to half their level. * Lightning Field: When you hit with a lightning attack, until the end of your next turn enemies that move adjacent or make a melee attack against you take 2d6+8 damage. Languages: Common, Giant Feats: * Combat Commander: The Initiative bonus you provide from Combat Leader equals your Charisma modifier (+6). * Dual Implement Spellcaster: Add the enhancement bonus of your off-hand implement to damage rolls. * Fight On: Use Inspiring Word an additional time per encounter. * Hybrid Talent: Gain the Storm Soul class feature. * Lightning Soul: +3 on lightning damage rolls; when you take lightning damage from an attack, an enemy within 5 squares also takes 10 lightning damage. * Monastic Disciple: Gain Stealth as a trained skill; use Desert Wind Flurry of Blows ("Crackling Lash") once per encounter. * Superior Implement Training (Lancing Dagger): Gain proficiency with the lancing dagger. * Superior Reflexes: +3 Reflex; gain combat advantage against all enemies during your first turn. * Superior Will: +3 Will; roll saves against Daze and Stun at start of turn even if the effect doesn't allow a save. * War Wizard's Expertise: +2 on attack rolls with light blade implements; -5 penalty on attack rolls vs. allies. Powers * Heroic Effort, Encounter (Racial) * Acid Orb ("Lightning Blast"), At-Will * Direct the Strike, At-Will * Dragonflame Mantle ( "Punishing Shock"), Utility 2 * Flame Spiral ("Cloak of Storms"), Encounter 3 * Thunder Leap, Daily 5 * Dragon's Tenacity, Utility 6 * Prime the Fire ("Crackling Chains"), Daily 9 * Instant Planning, Utility 10 * Furious Bolts, Encounter 11 * Lightning in the Blood, Daily 12 * Cyclone Pull, Encounter 13 * War Master's Assault, Daily 15 * Hail of Steel, Encounter 17 * Note: Darius uses a Lightning dagger as an implement, which causes spells like Fire spells to lose their Fire keyword and gain the Lightning keyword instead. This is primarily to keep with my character's storm-based theme; I'd rather describe hitting foes with charged lightning bursts than burning them. Equipment * Diamond of Garnicia * Thunderbolt Dagger +3 * Quicksilver Lancing Dagger +3 * Gloaming Githweave Armor +3 * Medallion of the Mind +3 * Assassin's Cloak +3 * Staff of the War Mage +1 * Echo of Ty-h'kadi (Heroic) * Hedge Wizard's Gloves * Boots of Leaping * Golden Crown of Battle Command * Belt of the Golden General * Tattoo of Shared Vengeance * Stone of Storms * Power Jewel * Resplendent Circlet * Adventuring Kit * Climbing Kit * Charlatan's Kit * Footpads * Thieves' Tools * Fine Clothing x2 * Regalia Trivia * Darius wears a broad metallic armguard at all times that attaches his storm dagger by a mithral chain. The armguard bears a lengthwise clasp on its outside edge to secure the dagger when it's not held. However, the dagger unerringly has been shown to leap out of the clasp without prompting, borne aloft by unearthly winds. * His storm dagger acts with apparent volition: it has pointed in the direction of ambushers and strained the chain mightily to hurl itself towards the heavens in the midst of a thunderstorm. It crackles, sparks, and lashes the chain violently when combat is imminent. Even if if has not communicated, Darius suspects that the dagger is intelligent. He seeks access to lore than might provide the dagger's name and history.... and true purpose. * In fact, Darius has no innate magical abilities of his own! The entirety of his sorcerous gifts are imbued by his artifacts, with only a smattering of arcane knowledge gleaned from his dealings with an Eladrin conclave near his former city. The storm dagger imbued him - a magicless mortal - with a ferocious capacity to summon and siphon the tempest. However, since the storm dagger's gemstone has embedded itself in his flesh, Darius has proven himself capable of conjuring lightning and tempest without grasping the dagger! Whatever unearthly power has been bestowed upon Darius may not arise from the dagger, but from whatever may be contained in its gemstone... * His enchanted gloves that are his favorite possession. They grant the wearer the ability to perform a suite of conjurer's tricks, ranging from creating light to flavoring food to bearing jam jars through the air. These powers appeal to his dual loves of theatricality and creature comfort. Telekinesis gives him particular glee. Category:Player Characters Category:Dungeons & Dragons Category:Sorakos